Veterinarians at Cornell University and several other colleges
have been monitoring the number of cases since that outbreak
began. The colored areas on the map show where the hotspots of
doggy flu have been:

And H3N2 was the kind that the
dogs in Washington caught. They were both in kennels at the
time.

Highly social dogs should probably get the
vaccine.Shutterstock

The American Veterinary Medical Association calls the shot a
"lifestyle
vaccine," since it should only be recommended for highly
social dogs, like those in kennels, doggy day cares, or who
participate in a lot of activities with other dogs.

This is why not all dogs need one of the vaccines, which cost
about $50 to $70. And a vaccine is really only necessary for dogs
in areas where cases have been recorded,
the New York Times notes.

The AVMA says the vaccine efficacy is similar to the human flu
shot.

"Although the vaccine may not prevent H3N8 infection altogether,
efficacy trials have shown that it may significantly reduce the
severity and duration of clinical illness," the
AVMA writes on its website. "Vaccinated dogs that become
infected develop less severe illness and are less likely to
spread the virus to other dogs."

So if you think your dog should get a flu shot, talk to your
veterinarian.